2022-2026: Kalinga elders settle 48 tribal disputes through the Bodong System

FEATURE

TABUK CITY, Kalinga – Behind every tribal dispute are relationships strained, communities divided, and the threat of conflict that can linger for years. In Kalinga, however, elders continue to turn to an age-old tradition to bring opposing sides back to the negotiating table.

From 2022 to 2026, the Kalinga Bodong Council of Elders (KBCE) helped resolve 48 tribal and community disputes through the traditional Bodong System, demonstrating how indigenous practices remain relevant in preserving peace and harmony among Kalinga communities.

The cases, mostly involving land and territorial disagreements, also included threats, personal conflicts, kinship disputes, and other issues affecting peaceful relations among tribes and communities.

KBCE Chairman Johnny Maymaya presented the accomplishment during the Provincial Government of Kalinga’s flag-raising ceremony on November 3, 2026, at the Kalinga Sports Center in Bulanao, Tabuk City.

According to Maymaya, the Council addressed the disputes through consultations, dialogues, negotiations, mediation, and conciliation, guided by the customary laws and principles of the Bodong System.

Among the notable cases handled by the Council were the boundary disputes between Balatoc and Guinaang, and between Betwagan and Butbut; the Basao-Biga conflict following a shooting incident; the Biga-Lubo conflict, also triggered by a shooting; and the Lubuagan-Mabungtot conflict involving the cases of Ando, Jaime, and Lumpoa.

These were not merely disagreements to be settled on paper. They involved communities whose relationships, security, and peaceful coexistence could be affected if conflicts were left unresolved.

Through its interventions, the Council brought conflicting parties together, encouraged peaceful settlements, prevented further escalation, and worked to restore harmonious relationships.

A tradition that keeps communities together

At the center of these efforts is the Bodong System, an indigenous peace pact and conflict-resolution institution practiced by Kalinga tribes.

The system establishes and maintains peaceful relationships between tribes through a formal agreement known as the Bodong. Its terms and obligations are guided by the Pagta, the customary law of the peace pact that defines the rights, responsibilities, and expected conduct of the parties involved.

More than an agreement to stop fighting, the Bodong creates a framework for mutual respect, cooperation, and accountability between tribes. It provides a traditional process for addressing disputes, settling grievances, and preventing retaliatory violence.

When conflicts arise, elders and recognized peace-pact holders help facilitate discussions and negotiations. Mediators, known as Mansakasukot, assist in bringing the parties together and finding an acceptable settlement in accordance with customary practices.

The system reflects the traditional understanding that peace is not achieved simply by ending a confrontation. It must also be sustained by rebuilding trust and maintaining relationships among communities.

Elders at the forefront of peacebuilding

The KBCE was formally empowered through Provincial Ordinance No. 2022-012, enacted on March 8, 2022, recognizing its role in carrying out the provincial government's policy of maintaining peace and order through the Bodong System.

The Council is tasked to help restore and establish peace pacts, provide Mansakasukot or mediators, recommend policies to strengthen the system, and coordinate with municipal and subtribe Bodong Councils.

It is currently composed of 53 members: 21 provincial-based and 32 community-based elders who help address concerns and coordinate peacebuilding efforts from the provincial level down to the grassroots.

Its work also supports Governor James S. Edduba's LUMIN-AWA 8-Point Agenda, particularly the goals of unity, peace and order, and stronger community cooperation.

The 48 disputes settled over the past four years show that, even as communities face changing challenges, Kalinga's traditional mechanisms remain an important part of keeping the peace.

Through the wisdom and intervention of its elders, the Bodong System continues to offer communities a path away from hostility and toward dialogue, reconciliation, and peaceful coexistence.